MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Jimmy Carter resumed his role as Habitat for Humanity’s most prominent booster on Monday, donning a white hard hat and a worn leather belt stocked with his own tools to hammer and saw with other volunteers building a home.
“We haven’t cut back on my schedule yet,” Carter said, seeming invigorated during an Associated Press interview.
The former president celebrated his 91st birthday in October, and is undergoing treatment on cancer found in his liver and brain. But he was sure-footed on the construction site.
Arriving ahead of schedule, Carter installed a hammer, measuring tape and thick pencil on his tool belt. Then he helped place pre-framed walls, hammered nails into place and sawed boards into smaller pieces, occasionally shouting questions or suggestions at the rest of the crew.
His wife, Rosalynn Carter, 88, hammered brackets, pulling the nails from her own leather tool belt. “Hard work,” she said with a soft laugh.
Carter and the Atlanta-based charity have been practically synonymous for more than 30 years. Since leaving the White House, the Carters have personally been involved with 3,943 projects in 14 countries for the charity, which has helped 5 million people with home construction and repairs.
Each year since 1984, the couple has volunteered a week of their time to “Carter work projects,” drawing thousands of volunteers. The streak seemed at risk in August when he revealed his illness, casting doubt on his ability to go to Nepal this month.
Ultimately, doctors approved the trip, but it was canceled due to concerns about civil unrest in the region, Carter said.
“Back in August … I didn’t know if I would be physically able or if the doctors would let me go to Nepal, but they finally approved my going, and I was very happy and excited about that,” Carter said. “To find out that we couldn’t go because of civil disorder in Nepal was just a very serious blow to me, and I presume to the other 2,500 people who were going to join us down there.”
Carter traveled to Memphis instead. By late morning, all the walls were framed.
Arlicia Gilliams, a 25-year-old single mom, will soon move in with her 2-year-old daughter, Parisse. Gilliam put in the required 350 hours of “sweat equity,” volunteering on other Habitat projects, and her mortgage payments will help build other Habitat homes.
Habitat’s CEO Jonathan Reckford said Carter’s jump-right-in attitude hasn’t changed since his cancer diagnosis.
“And he’s very focused,” Reckford said. “You can tell when he’s building; he’s working on getting the job done.”
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